BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Hey guys,

so i come in my room tonight and saw raptor diggin and rubbin up against the tank in mid shed! this is his second shed with me. The first he did the first night i brought him home.

Anyways he had all of his sides shed off and had a lot of old scales on top of him he was trying to get off but couldnt. I stuck out my pointer finger out stright, put it paralell to him on his back and let him slide underneathe it to take his top scales off. I didnt pick at his scales just gave him something to rub his back on. the old shed slid right off like wet paper.

My question is, will this harm his scales coming in than rather letting him actually rub it off himself naturally? I know it is probably best to leave all that to him, i just didnt want to leave them there.

Ill post some pics tonight! just new to this, glad he is sheding though!

Don't worry - you're over-thinking this!!

Helping rub a scale or two off won't hurt at all. He most likely doesn't need any help and doesn't really appreciate it... so there is no need. But it won't hurt anything. But don't think he 'needs' help. He really doesn't - I would just let him do his thing and in 3-4 days if some is still on then rub it off gently.

Katrina wrote:Don't worry - you're over-thinking this!!

Helping rub a scale or two off won't hurt at all. He most likely doesn't need any help and doesn't really appreciate it... so there is no need. But it won't hurt anything. But don't think he 'needs' help. He really doesn't - I would just let him do his thing and in 3-4 days if some is still on then rub it off gently.

HAHA oh i know i am, im always worried about him, but i know hes good. Raptor is the first reptile ive ever had so im new to all this

Its funny because when he felt my finger he pushed up against it with his back almost like he was trying to get the scales off haha, atleast thats what im telling myself. thanks for the help, found a couple of "gloves" in the tank, so atleast his feet are nice and scale free

As long as you dont forcibly pull anything off, it should be fine - It sounds as though in this case he was using you merely like he would a log or rock

Also, carefully check his toes and the tip of his tail when he is done. They will often get shed stuck there which will cause them to loose a toe or the tip of their tail. Most times Coomassie sheds I have to help his tail along.

I soaked mine in a bath when I see him shedding. Usually makes shedding go along a lot faster. I just make sure all the limbs have been properly shed and we're all good ;D